East Indian sandalwood oil is used in large quantities by the perfume industry. High prices and a sometimes sporadic supply of the oil have encouraged research chemists to develop syntheses of various components of the oil. One of the major components of the oil is .beta.-santalol which is known to possess a desirable sandalwood odor. Cis-.beta.-santalol is shown as structure I, wherein R=--CH.sub.3. Trans-.beta.-santalol is shown as structure IV, wherein R=--CH.sub.3. .beta.-Santalene, shown as structure II, wherein R=R.sup.1 =--CH.sub.3, and dihydro .beta.-santalol, shown as structure III, wherein R=--CH.sub.3, are known minor components of East Indian sandalwood oil.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,662,008 describes a process for preparing .beta.-santalol from 3-methylnorcamphor. The present invention describes novel processes for preparing .beta.-santalene, cis- and trans-.beta.-santalol, dihydro-.beta.-santalol, tetrahydro-.beta.-santalol (structure V, wherein R=--CH.sub.3), and related compounds from camphene, structure VI. ##STR1##